Benika Arendia (3)
"...Jacob."
"Yes, Lady Levia."
"This Entat Parish of ours. Is it the kind of place that's trapped inside some spacetime storm or something?"
Like, is this the center of a spacetime storm and the only spot stuck in the past? That kind of thing.
"Pardon?"
You don't get what I'm saying? Yeah, me neither. It sounds like total nonsense even to me. But hear me out... it's a pretty reasonable suspicion, all things considered.
"Take a look at that carriage."
"You mean the one His Eminence Cardinal Dominic arrived in?"
"Yeah."
"What about the carriage?"
"The level is completely different! The level of civilization!!!"
After wrapping up my satisfying contract with the bald guy—no, with Cardinal Dominic—I figured it was best to strike while the iron was hot and suggested we depart immediately. My opinion was gladly accepted, and the folks from the Entat Parish, who only needed to move their bodies, quickly selected their personnel and headed toward the carriage that Dominic's group had arrived in...
The carriage parked just outside the parish walls had a body that looked exactly like the ones I remembered from my previous life, but instead of horses at the front, there was this massive cauldron-like thing fitted with enormous wheels.
"How is that a carriage!"
That's a freaking car! It looked like the world's first steam-engine automobile that you'd only see in a museum!
"It is a carriage, milady. It simply has a mana engine attached."
Not a steam engine, but a mana engine, apparently. Good grief. Fine, I guess it counts as a carriage! After all, the original purpose of inventing cars was to create a horseless carriage!
"Wow. How fascinating. For such an old-generation model, it's in remarkable condition. It appears to have undergone magitech modifications."
So in terms from my previous life, it's like taking a classic car and giving it a full tuning job... something like that? Right? Oh my god.
"Don't tell me one of the previous Heroes designed this too?"
"That's correct. The Alchemy Hero designed it roughly four hundred years ago. He was the founder of magitech."
Apparently, the Alchemy Hero, who first created the field of magitech, designed it four hundred years ago but never released the blueprints. Then, about a hundred years ago, an adventurer discovered those very blueprints and built it based on them.
...At this point, the vague suspicions I'd been carrying around turned into solid conviction.
The international system of units, the big three powerlifting exercises, and now even cars... were all achievements of the previous Heroes?
"Did the previous Heroes all come from some other world or something?"
I asked Jacob about the suspicion I held.
"How did you know? There is a theory that all the previous Heroes either came from another world or possessed memories from one."
"..."
Jacob's answer, which turned my suspicion into certainty, made me come to a firm decision.
I had no intention of saying anything anyway, but I absolutely must never, ever tell anyone that I'm a reincarnator. If I slip up, I might end up being nominated not just as a Saintess candidate, but as a Hero candidate too.
The automobile—no, the auto-carriage—looked so similar to the very first cars in its front section that I assumed it would be slow, but it was actually much faster than I expected. The scenery whipping past at high speed gave a surprisingly decent sense of velocity.
"How is the ride? There is no shaking, and it is quite comfortable, is it not?"
While I was busy staring out the window, Cardinal Dominic struck up a conversation.
Oh. That forest over there looks pretty good. If I don't get stripped of my Saintess title, that would make for a perfect escape route.
"Although it is an old-generation model, we have applied various magitech modifications, including lightweight magic and expensive alchemical materials to absorb impacts, so there is no rattling whatsoever!"
...Correction. He wasn't just striking up conversation. He had started bragging about the tuning—no, the magitech modifications.
"Ooh...! If it's an impact-absorbing alchemical material, what exactly did you use?"
Please, Jacob. Don't play along and feed him.
"It is a composite of mithril and a small amount of orichalcum."
"Good heavens, such expensive materials!"
I'm so used to conversations like this. I heard tons of them in my previous life. Who knew the saying "people are all the same" applied across dimensions.
"Siiip... Haa... Sir Dominic, you're at it again. I really wish you'd stop already."
...That's not something Cheska should be saying while sitting me on her lap and sniffing the top of my head.
The carriage seats were cramped because of Carlo's massive grandfatherly build, the next-largest Dominic, and Jacob in full plate armor. So, I had no choice but to sit on Cheska's lap. It's absolutely, positively not because of the soft, squishy sensation I feel against the back of my head. Nope. Not at all.
"Siiip... Haa... I thought my ears would grow calluses from listening to him brag the entire way back to the Entat Parish."
"My scalp is going to lose all its scent and color because of you, you pervert Cheska."
What on earth turned you into this?
"Aww~ No way."
"While we're at it, tell me. Why did you change so much?"
"Hmm... I am aware that I've changed. I had a vague feeling before, but after reuniting with you, Lady Levia, I became certain of it."
So you were self-aware, you self-aware pervert.
"I would like to hear the reason as well. This is the first time I've seen someone whose Seed of Sin was removed before it fully bloomed."
Dominic, who had been passionately debating Jacob about the auto-carriage's tuning—no, its magitech modifications, joined our conversation.
From what I heard, some people who overcame or had their Seed of Sin removed couldn't see it clearly like I could, but they could still sense it. Dominic was one of those who had overcome it despite having the seed planted in him. Benedict had explained quite a lot—uncharacteristically so—just before we departed.
"When you removed the seed, Lady Levia, I felt a warmth spread through my heart and all the negative emotions being washed away. It felt exactly like... the first time I received a baptism and used holy power."
"Go on."
"After that, I became honest with myself... and things I couldn't see because I was blinded by jealousy became visible."
"What exactly became visible?"
"The fact that Lady Levia is incredibly lovable and adorable. Siiip... And that you smell wonderful too!"
"..."
It sounds like he just became an honest pervert.
"I see, more or less. Though I'm not entirely certain."
"Ho? It seems the Inquisitor has an idea?"
At Dominic's words, which suggested he had realized something, Carlo, who had been quietly listening, urged him to continue.
"As you probably know from Benedict, I too once had a seed planted in me. I was fortunate enough to overcome it."
Dominic added that, to be precise, he only realized the seed had been planted in him after he overcame it.
"The Seed of Sin feeds on human emotions. In my case... it was anger."
"And after overcoming it... peace came to my heart. I was so at peace that I wondered if I had ever felt that way in my life. I even laughed."
In short, it seemed that the emotions that had been suppressed by the trigger were now being expressed.
"It is presumed to be a kind of positive side effect. Though it may vary from person to person."
It sounds pretty negative to me. A perfectly normal person turned into a pervert.
"Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. I have sworn an oath. I will protect and follow you, Lady Levia, with my life on the line."
That's a very touching thing to say, but when you say it while sniffing the top of my head, it seriously damages your credibility, you perverted Cheska.
"Then what about Dominic's daughter?"
After listening to Dominic's explanation, I grew curious. If human emotions acted as the trigger. Since Dominic, the father of the eleventh Saintess candidate who supposedly had a seed planted in her, seemed to have an idea of what emotion would trigger it.
"Her name was Benika Arendia, right? What do you think would be the trigger emotion for Benika?"
"The emotion with the highest probability is... no, it can only be that one."
After thinking for a long time, Cardinal Dominic gave his answer.
"Vengeance. It is undoubtedly a thirst for revenge."
"Sir Ryolk."
One of the paladins who had finished guarding Benika during the day and was now switching shifts with Ryolk, who guarded her at night, came looking for him, saying he had an urgent report.
"An urgent report, you say? What is the content?"
"A few days ago, we received word that His Eminence Cardinal Dominic would be coming here, did we not?"
"We did. Lady Saintess Candidate was overjoyed when she heard the news."
"However... we just received another long-distance communication. It seems His Eminence is not coming alone."
This was the first time Cardinal Dominic had brought anyone besides his escort personnel when coming to see Benika, so Ryolk expressed doubt at the recent message.
As Benika's escort knight, Ryolk said what naturally needed to be said.
"Are their identities confirmed?"
A necessary question and procedure, since they could be individuals threatening the Saintess candidate.
"Yes. His Eminence contacted us personally and has vouched for their identities."
If Cardinal Dominic had personally guaranteed them, then there would be no threat to Benika.
"Who are they?"
"Yes. His Eminence said that Archbishop Carlo of the Entat Parish and..."
"Hmm... they are coming from quite far away. Guests all the way from the northernmost part of Eliac."
"The thirteenth Saintess candidate, Lady Levia Leviathan, is also coming with them."
For a moment, Ryolk thought his ears had deceived him. Who did he say was coming?
"Who did you say is coming with him?"
So he asked again.
"Archbishop Carlo and the thirteenth Saintess candidate, Lady Levia Leviathan. They are coming together for the purpose of exchange between the Saintess candidates."
After hearing the paladin's answer and confirming that he hadn't misheard, Ryolk let out an awkward laugh.
"Hahaha. My, what incredibly important guests we have visiting. Things are going to get busy. There will be so much to pay attention to."
"Indeed. It seems Sir Ryolk will have to work hard."
"Goodness. Even just taking care of our own Saintess candidate is already too much for me. Hahahaha!!"
Ryolk waved his hands dismissively at the paladin's words and burst into laughter once more. But while his mouth was smiling, for some reason, his eyes were not.